Recycling in Israel often seems to lag behind recycling in America. For example, where can I recycle my yogurt containers? Cardboard? Glass olive oil bottles? I’m hoping people reading this will respond to these questions. In the meantime, I’ve collected some info about recycling that I’ve collected, which I’ve divided into online recycling and real life recycling.

Where to Recycle – Online

Image from Avi Rubin's blog

Thanks to the Green Prophet, here’s a list of websites to help you get rid of your stuff or find someone else’s for free. Who said going green had to be expensive? If you like digging for treasures, these sites are a definite find.

Where to Recycle – Real Life

Check out this Janglo post, where someone compiled a post on what people found out about recycling in Israel. One person even went to the recycling plant and discovered which bottles the plants prefer to get (answer: clear bottles), which bottles are not really wanted (colored bottles), and what some of the plastic is used for (furniture).

Pikadon - Pikadon is the money you’ll receive for deposting certain bottles or cans. Check your bottle or can for the label. It’s important that you leave this label intact – some supermarkets can be really strict! For wine and alcohol, you’ll usually get 25 agurot, and for beer, you’ll get 25 agurot for the small bottles, and 1 shekel for the big ones.

Plastic Bottles (Soda, Water) – The big green grates located on practically every street in Jerusalem.

Paper – In Jerusalem, these are the the green bins with pretty painted pictures. Make sure to bring your camera – some of these bins are really creative.

Glass – you can take glass bottles to certain supermarkets. In Jerusalem, you can go to Mister Zol under the Mashbir, Mega and SuperSol Deal in Talpiot – I find Mega in Talpiot the easiest to deal with for this kind of thing.

21 Responses to “Going Green and Recycling in Israel Part 3: What and where to recycle(online and real life)”

You can also buy your olive oil in canisters and just refill your glass bottle. Another idea (very popular in my household) is to use the empty bottles to make flavored olive oils. I make garlic, chili and rosemary. Good times.

Hi Rebecca,
I’m not sure where to recycle yogurt containers (if you find out, let me know), but I know where some of Israel’s finest beer caps are recycled – they’re recycled into earrings made by artist Yoav Kotik. And we’re giving them away on Green Prophet! Come check us out and join the contest: http://greenprophet.com/2008/05/25/516/green-giveaway-kotik/
(There’s a ring and earring set in it for the two most creative bidders.)

Posted by: Rebecca - 05/25/2008

Karen: Thanks so much for telling me about the contest – I just entered and wrote about the jewelry that I make – Wearable Stories – http://wearablestories.com

Posted by: Rebecca - 05/26/2008

harry: But then what do you do with the canister? Regarding the flavored olive oils… can i just have some of yours? it sounds complicated, but delicious. except the chili bc i am way too ashkenazi.

Posted by: rivka spanier - 07/16/2008

Which plastic recyclable items may be deposited in the Jerusalem plastic bottle cages?

Posted by: Lara - 10/17/2008

But what about cans! Where can I recycle both food cans and aluminum soda cans?

Posted by: Janet - 12/09/2008

There is a battery recycling bin outside the door to the Science Library at the Gi’vat Ram Campus of Hebrew U. I think they are also scattered about campus.

Posted by: Lizzy - 01/12/2009

I’m desperate to recyle the aluminum cans, olives, pickles and coffee cans are cluttering my kitchen! Hoping you can help me find a place to drop them off!!

In advance, I thank you…

Posted by: shira - 02/20/2009

You can bring cans to the community garden in the back of the Science Museum in the German Colony. They also have a compost there, recycling for small plactic bottles, and for glass.

Posted by: rivka spanier - 02/26/2009

Rebecca: To make flavored olive oil (or for that matter vinegar), just drop a few sprigs of rosemary, tarragon or any other spice you fancy into a bottle of oil or vinegar and let stand for a week or two. Enjoy!

Posted by: Barak Bard - 03/12/2009

Thanx for all the tips. There’s also a battery recycling box by the entrance desk in the OU Israel Center 22 Keren HaYesod, Jerusalem

Posted by: Ela - 05/23/2009

Jerusalem Municipality has finally opened up a recycling center in Givat Shaul, on Givat Shaul road, across from the herzog ? hospital. You can only access it with a car, but you can pretty much recycle anything there!

Posted by: Rebecca - 05/24/2009

Hi Ela, Thanks for letting everyone know about the new recycling center. It seems really far from where I am. It’s a good first step, but I doubt many people are going to shlep all the way over there.. Let’s hope more recycling gets spread over all Jlem.

Posted by: Rebecca - 05/24/2009

Hi Barak,

That’s really good to know. I have some from who knows how long. Now I got the rechargable ones and love ‘em.

Posted by: Helene Roumani - 11/26/2009

There is a new recycling center in Jerusalem located at Givat Shaul opposite Herzog Hospital where you can bring almost everything for recycling including old furniture, clothing, plastic bags, as well as magnetic materials, oil and organic garbage for composting.

Posted by: Rebecca - 12/01/2009

Thanks Helene!

Posted by: Nicola - 01/24/2010

Hi all

I am looking for places to recycle anything except for glass and paper in Tel Aviv/Ramat Gan. Do you know any centres or creative ways for reusing paper in the area?

Thanks

Posted by: Nehama Miller - 01/28/2010

Thanks for this helpful information. My family is planning Aliyah and I was researching recycling in Israel. I am glad there are areas where I will be able to recycle. I checked out recycling in Modiin which is where I may live and found Modiin has created many recycling centers located at all school campuses. However, it seems the demand for glass and plastic recycling is not high and I hope the state will do more over the years to promote and fund recycling.

Posted by: lili - 03/06/2010

Thank you!!!
Extremely helpful and it is SO nice to see others are also concerned.
Shalom

Posted by: Su - 07/03/2012

I was overseas for 6 months and now there was a mountain of glass bottles at home waiting for me made proudly by my husband and his buddies. Where can I recycle them in Ramat Gan? I wish there were companies picking glass bottles for recycling cuz I don’t own a car so it’s always a struggle. Cousin takes them to the Safari where she works sometimes but it can take a while between visits sometimes so I do wish I could take this matter into my own hands.